Bomb-harpoon



(No Model.)

B. PIERCE. Bomb Harpoon. No. 241,060. Patented May 3,1881.

liege/35w? N. PETERS, Photo-Lithographer, Wnshingion. D. C.

UNITED STATES EBENEZER PIERCE, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

PATENT OFFICE.

BO MB-HARPOON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,060, dated May 3, 1881.

Application filed March 11, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EBENEZER PIERCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bomb-Harpoons for Capturing Whales, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to that class of bomb-harpoons which are designed to be shot from a suitable gun and ignited by the concussion of the discharge, but exploded only after any required lapse' of time to insure the destructive effect of the bomb harpoon after it has penetrated the body of a whale.

The invention consists in a harpoon head, which is directly pivoted to the front end of a shank and has a magazine-cylinder or shell attached thereto. The rear end of said magazine cham her or shell contains devices for firing the charge in the magazine after the harpoonhead and its attached magazine have entered the body of the whale. The explosion of the charge in the magazine will cause the latter to burst and become separated from the harpoonhead, so as to enable it to turn on its shank, which also serves as a line-holder. The harpoon-head is pivoted to its shank in such a manner that the parallel position of the parts is properly maintained when the bomb-harpoon is not in use, or when it is inserted in the gun ready to be shot therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of a bombharpoon constructed according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing the position of the harpoon-head and its shank and line-holder when said harpoon-head is turned in the body of the whale.

The letter A designates a harpoon -head, which may be of any suitable form or shape, and has a rearwardly-projectin g plug or cylindrical extension, a. A magazine cylinder or shell, B, made of cast-metal or other suitable material, receives the screw-threaded plug or extension afor effecting the connection of these parts. The rear end of the magazine chamber or shell receives a plug-shaped firing and fuse chamber, 0, which has a cap or head, D, attached thereto by a screw and socket joint. A leather or rubber disk, E, attached to the rear end of the cap D by means of a screw, 1F, fits tightly into the bore of the gun and serves as a wad or packing.

The tiring-chamber G contains a metallic tube, G, which serves as a holder for the percussion-cap H, fitted on a suitable nipple on the rear end of said tube. The cap is retained in position by means of a small ductile wire or rod, b, which is attached to the tube G and adapted to be turned over the cap.

A wooden pin, I, passed through the firingchamber and cap-holder, serves to hold the latter away from the firing-anvil until said pin broken by the concussion of the explosive charge in the gun-barrel. In the present instance the screw E serves as the tiring-anvil by striking the percussion-cap when the capholder is caused to drop by the breakage of the pin I.

A suitable fuse, J, projects into the magazine or shell chamber, and also extends into the capholder or metallic tube, so as to terminate in close proximity to the percussion-cap.

The harpoon-head A has a lateral recess or chamber, K, at or near its center, which receives the curved front end of the harpoonshank L, to which the customary line, M, is attached.

A pin, N, passed through the harpoou-head and its shank L, forms a pivot-connection between these parts, so as to enable the harpoonhead to turn at right angles to its shank after it has penetrated into the body of the whale.

It will be manifest that the concussion of the charge used for projecting the lance from the gun will cause the fuse to be ignited in the manner already stated, and the latter. is so graduated or timed that the charge of powder or other explosive material contained in the magazine is not fired until the harpoon-head and the magazine-shell have entered the body of the whale. In this manner the full destructive effect of the missile is attained, and it necessarily follows that the magazine-shell is shattered into fragments and completely disengaged from the harpoon-head. This will permit the latter to be turned on its shank by simply pulling the line M, as is shown in Fig. 2.

The pivoted harpoon-shank and line-holder L shown in the present instance extends along the barrel of the gun used for projecting the lance, and may move in guides thereon, or else the pivot joint or connection between the head and shank may furnish sutficient friction to hold the shank in proper relation to the barrel Without passing it through guides made on the latter.

By attaching the harpoon-shank to the harpoon-head in the direct manner shown, and securing the line at or near the rear of said shank, I attain results which cannot be achieved by bomb-harpoons heretofore devised. For example, 1 am enabled to cause the harpoon-head to take a firm hold in the body of the whale by the line attached to the pivoted harpoon-shank, and said line being attached as shown, is not liable to be burned by the explosive charges,

whether in the barrel ofthe gun or in the maga zine-shell. The line is folded longitudinally along the side of the pivoted shank of the harpoon and connected thereto by fastening-cords, as in Fig. 2, so as to afford the requisite slack when the gun is fired, which will obviate all tendency to disturb the accurate flight of the bomb and harpoon.

What I claim is-- 1. A harpoon head pivoted orjointed to a combined shank and line-holder, and having an explosive shell or magazine connected therewith in rear of the point of attachment to the shank, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The harpoon head provided with a rear plug or extension for the attachment of an explosive shell, and having a lateral chamber or recess, in combination with a harpoon shank having a curved front end fitted in said recess and pivoted therein, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hate hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EBENEZER PIERCE.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. NoRRIs, JAMES A. RUTHERFORD. 

